SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Sport and Exercise Nutrition
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1675654
This article is part of the Research TopicThe Role of Nutritional Interventions in Optimizing Exercise Outcomes and RecoveryView all articles
Efficacy of Dietary Supplements on Sports Performance Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Evidence in Elite Athletes
Provisionally accepted
Tongwu Yu1*
Chuanwei Ding2*- 1Anhui Communications Vocational & Technical College, Hefei, China
- 2Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, China
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Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplements for enhancing athletic performance specifically in elite athletes, considering supplement type, dosing protocols, and sport-specific demands. Methods: This PRISMA-adherent systematic review (INPLASY202411036) searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SportDiscus (Jan 2014-Nov 2024) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials examining dietary supplement interventions in elite athletes, compared to placebo/no intervention, reporting quantitative performance outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale; risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool V.2. Narrative synthesis was performed due to outcome heterogeneity. Results: Forty-six studies (n=928 participants) met inclusion criteria, with predominantly male participants (60%). Performance enhancers showed varying efficacy: caffeine (3-6 mg/kg) consistently improved power output and technical performance; beta-alanine demonstrated sport-specific benefits; while nitrate supplementation showed limited effects in elite populations. Recovery supplements displayed mixed results, with amino acids and probiotics showing promise for fatigue prevention and exercise tolerance. Studies demonstrated high methodological quality (average PEDro score: 10.65/11), though female athletes were underrepresented (10% of studies). Conclusion: Dietary supplement efficacy in elite athletes is highly variable, contingent upon supplement type, sport-specific demands, individualized dosing protocols, and athlete characteristics (including potential gender differences). Caffeine and certain amino acid/probiotic formulations demonstrate the most consistent benefits. Findings strongly support individualized, evidence-based supplementation strategies over generic protocols. Future research must address the significant gender gap and underrepresentation of specific sports.
Keywords: elite athletes, Dietary Supplements, ergogenic aids, Sports performance, Systematic review
Received: 29 Jul 2025; Accepted: 18 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yu and Ding. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Tongwu Yu, Anhui Communications Vocational & Technical College, Hefei, China
Chuanwei Ding, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.